Vancouver Goldeneyes

Vancouver Goldeneyes
CityVancouver, British Columbia
LeaguePWHL
Founded2025
Home arenaPacific Coliseum
ColoursPacific blue, coastal cream, earthy bronze, sunset gold, sky blue
         
OwnerMark Walter Group
General managerVacant
Head coachCara Gardner Morey
CaptainAshton Bell
Websitethepwhl.com/en/teams/vancouver-goldeneyes
Championships
Regular season titles0
Walter Cups0
Current season

The Vancouver Goldeneyes are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver that competes in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). They are the league's first announced expansion franchise and joined in the 2025–26 season, part of the league's first round of expansions alongside the Seattle Torrent. Their home games are played at the Pacific Coliseum.

History

Founding

On April 23, 2025, the PWHL announced that their first expansion franchise would be located in Vancouver and would begin play in the 2025–26 season.[1] The team announced that their home arena will be the Pacific Coliseum, former home of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants and the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.[2]

The announcement came after speculation that the PWHL would expand to both Vancouver and Seattle.[3][4] Rumours of a Vancouver franchise gained momentum after the PWHL Takeover Tour – a series of exhibition games staged at neutral venues across cities in Canada and the United States – drew a record-breaking 19,038 spectators to Rogers Arena, current home of the Vancouver Canucks, on January 8, 2025.[5]

On May 23, 2025, PWHL Vancouver announced that Cara Gardner Morey would be appointed as the club's first general manager.[6] Brian Idalski was named as the team's first head coach on June 23, 2025.[7] The team's first leadership group was announced on November 21, 2025, consisting of captain Ashton Bell and alternate captains Sarah Nurse and Claire Thompson.[8]

Early Years

Ahead of their first season, the Goldeneyes were projected by some analysts to be serious Walter Cup contenders.[9] The team won their inaugural game 4-3 at home against the Seattle Torrent, becoming the first PWHL team to win their inaugural game on home ice. In the game, Sarah Nurse scored the first goal in franchise history, and Abby Boreen scored the franchise's first game-winning goal in overtime.[10] The team was quickly embraced by fans in Vancouver. The team led the league in regular-season attendance, with over 11,200 fans attending each game.[11] However, the team struggled on the ice, especially on the road, and finished 6th on the season.

Despite missing the playoffs, the Goldeneyes won the PWHL's Gold Plan on a late season hot streak, earning the team their first franchise first overall pick in the 2026 Entry Draft.[12] With the pick, Vancouver selected Caroline Harvey from the University of Wisconsin.[13]

Team identity

As part of the expansion announcement, the team's colours were revealed to be Pacific blue and cream. The PWHL also stated that the franchise would operate under the temporary name PWHL Vancouver until a permanent brand identity is announced, following a similar approach taken by the "Inaugural Six" teams during the 2023–24 PWHL season.[14]

On October 21, 2025, Vancouver released their inaugural season jerseys, which feature the city name diagonally across the front. The jerseys are produced by Bauer. The new team name, the Vancouver Goldeneyes, as well as the new logo, were revealed on November 6, 2025.[15] They will be brought into circulation during the 2026–27 season.[16] The team is named after the common goldeneye—a diving duck endemic to North America including the coastal waters and lakes of British Columbia.[17]

Season-by-season record

Key of colours and symbols
Colour/symbol Explanation
† Indicates League Championship
* Indicates Regular Season Championship
Year by year results
Season GP RW OW OL RL Pts GF GA GD Finish Playoffs
2025–263093414376881−136thDid not qualify


Players and personnel

Current roster

As of July 18, 2026[18][19] [20]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
21 Canada Ashton Bell (C) D R 26 2025 Deloraine, Manitoba
22 United States Abigail Boreen F R 26 2026 Somerset, Wisconsin
50 Canada Kristen Campbell G L 28 2025 Brandon, Manitoba
9 Canada Katie Chan F L 23 2025 Toronto, Ontario
United States Jules Constantinople D L 22 2026 East Haven, Connecticut
8 United States Izzy Daniel F R 25 2025 Minneapolis, Minnesota
United States Katie DeSa G L 22 2026 Pawcatuck, Connecticut
Canada Laura Fuoco F L 23 2026 Mississauga, Ontario
12 Canada Jenn Gardiner F L 24 2025 Surrey, British Columbia
United States Caroline Harvey D L 23 2026 Pelham, New Hampshire
16 Canada Sophie Jaques D R 25 2025 Toronto, Ontario
Sweden Thea Johansson F L 23 2026 Ljungby, Sweden
2 Finland Sini Karjalainen D L 27 2025 Posio, Finland
96 Czech Republic Dominika Lásková D R 29 2026 Prague, Czech Republic
38 Canada Emerance Maschmeyer G L 31 2025 Bruderheim, Alberta
Canada Ashley Messier D R 24 2025 Wilcox, Saskatchewan
34 Canada Hannah Miller F L 30 2025 North Vancouver, British Columbia
20 Canada Sarah Nurse (A) F L 31 2025 Hamilton, Ontario
15 United States Gabby Rosenthal F R 26 2025 Blaine, Minnesota
7 United States Madison Samoskevich (RFA) D L 23 2025 Sandy Hook, Connecticut
51 United States Anna Segedi F L 25 2025 Commerce Township, Michigan
42 Canada Claire Thompson (A) (UFA) D L 28 2025 Toronto, Ontario
13 Czech Republic Tereza Vanišová F L 30 2025 Strakonice, Czechia
18 Canada Malia Schneider F R 27 2025 Millarville, Alberta
19 United States Mannon McMahon F R 25 2026 Maple Grove, Minnesota

Reserves

As of December 5, 2025[18][21][22]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
17 Canada Brianna Brooks F R 24 2025 Whitby, Ontario

All-time players

Team captains

Head Coaches

General managers

First-round draft picks

References

  1. ↑ "Professional Women's Hockey League Expands to Vancouver". Professional Women's Hockey League. April 23, 2025. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  2. ↑ Salvian, Hailey (April 23, 2025). "PWHL announces expansion to Vancouver for 2025–26 season: 'A great day for women's sport'". NY Times. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  3. ↑ Johnston, Patrick (April 17, 2025). "PWHL expected to announce Vancouver expansion team next week".
  4. ↑ Didion, Alex (April 18, 2025). "Report: PWHL 'expected' to announce Seattle team after Vancouver club".
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Ian (March 21, 2025). "PWHL expected to announce Vancouver expansion team next week".
  6. ↑ "PWHL Vancouver Names Cara Gardner Morey as General Manager".
  7. ↑ "PWHL VANCOUVER NAMES BRIAN IDALSKI AS FIRST-EVER HEAD COACH". www.thepwhl.com. June 23, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ "VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES ANNOUNCE ASHTON BELL, CLAIRE THOMPSON, AND SARAH NURSE AS TEAM'S FIRST-EVER LEADERSHIP CORE". www.thepwhl.com. November 21, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ Steiner, Ben. "2025-26 PWHL team preview: Vancouver Goldeneyes". Daily Faceoff. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  10. ↑ Dias, Fleur. "Vancouver Goldeneyes become 1st PWHL team to win inaugural game on home ice". The Runner. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  11. ↑ Karin, Larsen. "Vancouver Goldeneyes' debut season scores major victory with fans". CBC. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  12. ↑ Smith, Maya. "Goldeneyes win the Gold Plan, will pick first overall". The IX Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  13. ↑ "VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES SELECT CAROLINE HARVEY FIRST OVERALL IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2026 PWHL DRAFT". thepwhl.com. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  14. ↑ Salvian, Hailey (March 21, 2025). "Why the PWHL is launching with temporary jerseys — and without team names or logos". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ Osborne, Ben (November 6, 2025). "A New Vision Takes Flight". Vancouver Goldeneyes.
  16. ↑ "PWHL Seattle And PWHL Vancouver Unveil Inaugural Jerseys Ahead Of 2025–26 Season". PWHL. October 21, 2025. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
  17. ↑ "A New Vision Takes Flight". www.thepwhl.com. November 6, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Vancouver Goldeneyes Roster". Professional Women's Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Signings & Trades". Professional Women's Hockey League. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  20. ↑ "PWHL LAS VEGAS AND VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES COMPLETE TRADE". Professional Women's Hockey League. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Vancouver Goldeneyes announce 2025–26 roster". Professional Women's Hockey League. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Vancouver Goldeneyes activate Sarah Nurse from LTIR". Professional Women's Hockey League. January 15, 2026. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
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